The deputies were trying to serve Coffin with civil papers. They entered the garage without a search warrant or arrest warrant.

Coffin jumped on the two deputies, wrestling a Taser from one and used it to knock the deputy out by hitting him in the head two or three times with the butt of the Taser.  

Coffin and his wife were eventually arrested. They charged his wife with obstruction even though she was under no obligation to follow their orders to bring her husband outside.

Prosecutors asked for over a year of prison time. A jury was selected, but before the trial began, the judge acquitted John Coffin on five of six felony charges. Coffin pleaded no contest to the remaining charge of taking a Taser from one of the deputies during the fight.

The judge let Coffin off with timed serve, for the last charge, which was 8 days in jail. He also had to pay $358 for court costs.

The judge said that the deputies broke the law by stopping the garage door from going down and then entering the garage. He also said that Mr. Coffin had a right to resist.

Now, I’m a strong supporter of the police, but, besides being individuals they are also an arm of the government. This is validation that an citizen still has rights, when it comes to his home and property, that should be inviolate even by the police.